FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS: Beyond The Music 2026

BOOT

18 minutes ago

3 min read

Manchester's premiere music conference and festival Beyond The Music returned this month, this time taking over Salford's Media City. The daytime conference brought together some of the most influential and forward-thinking music business professionals for discussions on industry inequalities, innovative music-making and the future of the industry landscape. Highlights were the discussion with the team behind Yungblud and the keynote with Steve Coogan marking the anniversary of 24-hour Party People.

However, of course, the music was our main focus! The festival pulled together some of the best new artists from across the country, with a focus on boundary-pushing performance. Here were are 5 favourites from the festival.

Holly Head

Headlining the Akoustik anarchy showcase on the Wednesday night was Manchester Post-Punks Holly Head. Following from the equally brilliant live energy of support act GETNER, Holly Head took a more insular approach. They swapped crowd interaction for intense, whirlpooling instrumentals that created a huge, all-encompassing sound while intricate melodies and percussive patterns still shone through the noise.

In fact, the percussive grooves were the standout element of the set for us, driving the tracks forward with a angular, punchy rhythm and providing a bed for the harsh guitar combinations and raw vocals to ride on top of. A fantastic end to our first night at the festival and we can't wait see them headline Into The Pit on November 21t.

SILVERWINGKILLER

From the very first moments of the SILVERWINGKILLER set we were entranced by the swirling electronics. Their tracks have a deep ferocity and playful swagger to them, making you dance your heart out in a carefree grungey expression. Their new single 'WORLDSTAR' was a highlight, offering one of their most melodically infectious tracks to date.

Georgian

Talking of entrancing, Manchester Folk outfit Georgian provided a hypnotic set that instantly enraptured us in a haze of dreamy Folk tones. The instrumentals take you back to the 60s in a sunset-tinted shoegaze textures while the vocals of Georgia McKiernan cary a pureness that cuts through with beautiful emotion. Everything they do is considered and perfectly stylised to transport you into a vintage 30 minutes of new-Folk nostalgia.

Tom A Smith

Hailing from Sunderland, Tom A Smith has been developing his sound and experimenting with different avenues in recent years. Initially starting out as a young Indie songwriter, he has begun to take more inspiration from the 80s, adding in Dance, Post Punk and New Wave elements into his latest releases and these songs have transformed his live set.

From start to finish he radiated an enigmatic stage presence, strutting around to the dance-worthy grooves before spinning around, grabbing the mic and singing out the choruses with an infectious swagger. A set that truly blew us away!

Cutscene

After their stage had scene a swathe of technical issues the night before, Manchester's Cutscene didn't let that bother them one bit. They arrived on stage with a calmness before exploding into their slick Post-Punk set. Tracks like 'Concrete Line' combine the gritty sonic textures and inescapable vocal deliveries of Fontaines D.C's early work or the work of newcomers like Basht.

However, they showcase a more intricate, delicate texture in moments like 'Bright Star', a bittersweet, atmospheric track that straddles the line between hopefulness and melancholia while showing off the beautiful vocal tones. Singed to tastemaker label Heist or Hit, Cutscene are quickly becoming one of the most exciting new prospects in the North-West.